Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an important clinical modality for the detection and delineation of breast carcinoma. Its high sensitivity allows detection and characterization of breast lesions not seen by other imaging technologies. However, current MRI systems are not optimized for breast biopsy. Low field open MRI systems provide access to the patient but have limited imaging performance for detecting and characterizing breast carcinoma. High field “closed” systems provide superior imaging performance but have limited access to the patient, preventing the use of real time imaging to guide the biopsy.
Existing breast biopsy systems for high field closed MRI systems require that the patient be removed from the scanner in order to perform the biopsy. This prevents the use of real time imaging to guide the biopsy. Errors in the instrument trajectory cannot be detected which can reduce the diagnostic quality of the tissue sample.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,163,717 issued in the name of Su, discloses an open breast coil for interventional MRI. Su does not disclose methods for incorporating breast compression plates into the coil or a means to position breast biopsy or therapy instruments inside the MRI scanner. Su's design is most useful for a lateral access to the breast. Access from the front is more limited than the present invention. Also, Su's design does not teach a robust means of supporting the patient weight while maintaining adequate access to the breast for performing interventional procedures.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,706,812, granted to Strenk, teaches a MRI breast biopsy coil with a transverse access portal and a stereotactic flame for guiding a biopsy needle. The coil is a linear coil that has reduced sensitivity compared to quadrature or phased array imaging coils. The design does not allow breast compression laterally or in the head/feet direction. Also, the design does not teach means for positioning instruments in the MRI scanner or methods of performing breast biopsies inside high field MRI scanners with limited access to the patient.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,667, issued in the name of Friedrich, discloses a MRI breast coil with compression plates. The coil is not open and does not allow performance of breast biopsies while the patient remains inside the MRI scanner.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,280, issued to Hussman, teaches a localizer apparatus suitable for guidance of medical instruments to lesions in the breast using a MR visible coordinate system. The patent does not teach design of open breast imaging coils or methods of performing breast biopsies while the patient remains inside the MRI scanner.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,678,549, granted to Heywang-Koebrunner, discloses a stereotactic compression device and imaging coil for performing MRI guided breast biopsies. The patent does not disclose breast coil designs that are open in the front, or a means of performing breast biopsies inside high field MRI systems. The device requires that the patient be removed from the scanner to perform the biopsy.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,108, issued to Chakeres, teaches an apparatus for aligning an instrument along a desired trajectory to a target using MR imaging. It does not teach open access imaging coils for breast biopsy or a method to insert a variety of instruments into the patient inside the MRI scanner.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,569,266, granted to Siczek, discloses a MRI guided breast biopsy device, including an imaging coil and a device for positioning a biopsy instrument in the breast. The patent does not disclose means to insert instruments into the patient while they remain inside the scanner. The device requires that the patient be removed from the scanner to insert the biopsy instrument.